Corset



NASON. Y CORSET.

(No Model.)

Patented June 11' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT D. NASON, OF SPRINGFIELD, ASSIGN OR OF ONE-HALF TO CHAUNCEY L. OIJMSTEAD, OF lVEST BROOKFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS.

CORSET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,113, dated June 11, 1889.

Application filed April 15, 1889. Serial No. 307,254. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT D. NASON, of Springfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new Improvement in Corsets; and I do hereby declare the following, when taken in connection with accompanying drawings and the letters of reference marked thereon, to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, and which said drawings constitute part of this specification, and represent, in

Figure 1, a front view of the corset, showing the breast at the right closed, with the breast at the left open; Fig. 2, a vertical section of the same'through the stays or stiffening, this also illustrating the detachment of the stiifening of the upper and lower portions of the breast-section; Fig 3, a front view of a modification in the breast-section; Fig. 4, a front View of a second modification.

This invention relates to an improvement in that class of corsets in which the breast portion is adapted to be opened to expose the breast, commonly called nursing-corsets, the object being to construct the corset with the breast portion detached only at the front edge adjacent to the clasps, but yet so thatthe breast portions may be fully opened, and at the same time to preserve the full rounded shape of the breast portion; and it consists in the construction as hereinafter described, and particularly recited in the claims.

In the illustration, A B represent the two edge portions, which are secured together at the front by clasps. The corset, except as to the breast portion, is made up of parts in the usual manner, the cut of these parts, except as to the breast portion, being immaterial.

0 represents the breast portion. As here represented, this portion extends upward centrally through the breast to the top, with a.

gore D at one side and a similar gore E upon the opposite side, these gores, with the central portion, forming the swell of the breast. The rear gore D is stitched to the adjacent portion of the corset in the usual manner, so as to become substantially integral or inseparable from the corset. At the front edge the gore E is detached from the busk or clasp portion. As usually constructed, the stays in the breast portion 0 extend from top to hot in g.

tom of the corset over the breast to give the requisite support to the breast, the gore and upper portion being stiffened with any suitable stifiening material to maintain its form. The pockets for the stays in the central portion are made, as'usual, to extend from top to bottom; but instead of making the stays continuous they are separated at the bottom of the swell of the breast portion, as seen in Fig. 2, and a hinge-line is formed, starting from the lower edge of the side gore E and running diagonally upward and rearward to the rear edge of the gore D, as shown. This hinge is best formed by placing an overlying strip F across the breast portion 0 on the hinge-line and stitching it thereto, which closes the staypockets both above and below. This diagonal line of hinge runs into the side seam of the gore D. The stays which are introduced extend from the hinge-line upward and downward, so that there is only the material of the corset itself, with the overlying or re-enforcing strip F on the said hinged line. Conse quently the breast portion may be turned downward and backward on that hinge, as represented at the left in Fig. 1, exposing the breast-opening; but when the breast portion is returned, as represented at the right in Fig. 1, it then conforms to the breast portion of the corset as constructed without an open- This hinged portion may be secured by a button or other fastening, as represented; but it is not necessary to do so, as the breast portion will readily retain its place.

The hinge-line from its lower end to the top of the corset being on somewhat of a curve when 011 the wearer operates as a spring to retain the hinged portion in its place, but yet readily yield in opening, and so as to readily and properly uncover the breast. Under this construction no connection across the top is necessary, which connection is a source of discomfort to the wearer.

The stitching of the strip F to the parts forms two pockets (6 a, into which stays are introduced, or the stay may be only in one pocket. These stays curve corresponding to the portion of the breast over which they pass, and their curvature adds materially to the elasticity which tends to support the breast portion in the closed position. Preferably a narrow flap G is formed on the edge of each of the clasp portions to underlie the edge of the breast portion when in the closed position.

As thus far represented, I have made no positive disconnection between the breast portion and the portion below, that part extending from top to bottom unbroken; but it may be broken, as represented in Fig. 3, the upper and lower portions out and made separate from each other, the separation being on the same upward and rearward diagonal line which I have described. In this case the two parts are united by the overlying piece F on the outside, and a similar overlying piece If on the inside, as seen in Fig. 2. This forms a good and durable hinge, with the same result as in the first illustration.

'While the overlying strip is preferable, as forming the best hinge, the hinge may be made directly in the fabric of the corset itself, as represented in Fig. 4:. In this case there are the same three lines of stitches run diagonally from the lower end of the detached edge of the breast portion diagonally upward and rearward, terminating at the rear edge of the breastsection and so as to form the same diagonal hinge between the stiffened portions above and below. There will be the same curvature around the wearer on this diagonal line to give the spring to hold the breast portion open or closed, as before described. I therefore do not wish to be understood as limiting the invention to the necessary presence of the overlying or re-enforcing strip.

The stays maybe flat bones, as represented in the first illustration, or any other suitable material may be introduced, that in Fig. 2 representing cords, it only being essential that the stiffening introduced for the breast portion and the lower portion of the breastsection shall be detached on the said diagonal line.

I claim- 1. A corset having the swell of the breast portions detached from the clasp portions at the front edge, the stiifeningmaterial between the breast portions and the portion of the breast-section below detached on a diagonal line running from the lower end of the detached edge of the said breast portions upward and backward to the rear edge of the said breast portions, and whereby a diagonal hinge is formed between the said breast portions and the portion of the breast-section below, substantially as described. 2. A corset having the swell of the breast portions detached from the clasp portions at the front edge, with a re-enforcing strip extending from the lower end of the detached edge of the said breast portions diagonally upward and rearward to the rear edge of the breast-section, the stiffening of the swell portion of the breast and of that portion of the breast-section below detached at the said diagonal line, and whereby a hinge is formed on said diagonal line, upon which the said breast portion may swing downward and. backward in opening, substantially as described.

3. A corset having the swell portion of the breast detached from the clasp portions at the front edge, an overlay F extending from the lower end of the detached edge of the breast portion diagonally upward to the rear of the breast portion, the said overlay forming pockets to receive stays on the said diagonal line, the stiffening of the swell portion of the breast and that portion of the breastsection below detached, substantially as described.

ALBERT D. NASON.

\Vitncsscs:

WALTER S. ROBINSON, GEO. D. ROBINSON. 

